The Columbus Blue Jackets are in a strange situation regarding their goaltenders. Daniil Tarasov is supposed to be their goaltender of the future, but he hasn’t been able to gather any momentum toward achieving that goal so far this season.
Elvis Merzlikins’ struggles are well documented at this point and it’s starting to seem clear that regardless of what the organization does, they’re not going to be able to rely on him consistently moving forward. It seems the ship has sailed for him to revert to the goalie we saw in his first two seasons at the NHL level.
The Blue Jackets started off hot this season, then quickly fell down the standings. Now, it seems they’re on a bit of a rebound but if they can’t trust their goaltenders, it could all fall apart once again. With the growing popularity of three-goaltender rotations around the NHL, it may be time for general manager Don Waddell to explore that option.
Martin Jones
As one of the few free-agent goaltenders remaining, Martin Jones is the most realistic option to create a three-goalie rotation in Columbus. While he wasn’t phenomenal during his stint with the Seattle Kraken during the 2022-23 season, he massively helped keep the Toronto Maple Leafs in a playoff spot during a very difficult part of the 2023-24 season.
With Jones, it’s hard to say exactly what the Blue Jackets would get. He could be a goaltender who maintains a save percentage (SV%) over .900, or he could hover around the .880 mark. Either way, it would be an improvement over at least one of the goaltenders, if not both, who are currently on the roster. Added competition could provide a spark for Tarasov in particular, who needs to turn his season around if he’s going to get his development back on track.
Anton Forsberg
Long-time Blue Jackets fans will remember the name Anton Forsberg, and not for a good reason. Despite being a phenomenal goaltender at the American Hockey League level with the Cleveland Monsters while in the Blue Jackets organization, he struggled mightily when he got opportunities at the NHL level. Since leaving Columbus, his career has taken off a bit and he’s proven he’s a legitimate NHL-caliber goaltender even though he does still have the occasional struggles.
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